I'm only a kid
by case1234
Summary: "He's under a lot of stress Rachel, and the drugs he's on." I lie to myself all of the time, the only problem is I never believe myself.
1. Chapter 1

"I can't do this anymore." I whispered into the mirror of my bathroom. "I can't be this ugly or small, stupid."

"Rachel It's time for school!" my father shouted up the stairs at me screaming so loud that my body practically shook in fear.

I headed down the stairs as quick as humanly possible, so that he couldn't get any more angry than he already was.

"Rachel, your father should be home tonight to collect the rest of his things and he insists on taking you to his new home with him." My father walked up to me his blue eyes so cold that they were practically ice "And if you even think of what is going on you will be sorry to you hear me!"

I nodded "Yes sir I-I understand." I stammered pulling on my jacket.

"Good girl. Alright I will see you on Saturday, and remember don't you dare tell your father a thing!"

"Daddy, why can't I just go and live with Dad!" I whinned begging him. I knew I shouldn't have done that, but I didn't want to come back to this place. The place that was supposed to be home to me, but where I felt so alone that I couldn't even breathe."

He turned on me back slapping me across the face so hard I slammed into the door my head knocking into the wood painfully "You little bitch, after everything I have fucking done for you! You aren't even my fucking biological daughter Rachel!" He screamed "Pick yourself up off the floor and make yourself fucking useful." He grabbed me by the elbow pulling me into him roughly "You're useless Rachel, such a fucking waste of space." He grabbed his briefcase walking to the front door and slamming it shut.

I tried to straighten my self out going to the hallway mirror and fixing my hair and my shirt. "He's under a lot of stress Rachel, and the drugs he's on." I lie to myself all of the time, the only problem is I never believe myself."

I got into my car, trying to get to school as fast as possible, though my vision was slightly blurry. if I was late I would be truly sorry later. I parked in my normal spot and headed into the school.

"Rachel where have you been?" Kurt asked as I approached my locker.

"Oh sorry, um was I supposed to be here earlier?" I asked very confused.

He rooled his eyes at me in his normal annoyed way "emergency glee meeting remember." He asked tapping his head.

I never forgot about Glee, maybe when my father had knocked me into the door this morning I had gotten a slight concussion. "Oh I um...sorry..." I was cut off by the horrified look on the male diva's face.

"Rachel, what happened?" He asked hesitantly. His voice softer than I had ever heard it before.

"Oh this?" I asked slightly laughing as I pointed to my cheek "I got kicked at tae kwon doe last night, no big deal." I am a great actress. I lie all the time to other people, the only problem is that they believe me.

Kurt looked hesitant reaching up one of his beautifully manicured hands and brushing it lightly over my cheek, shocking me " Rachel, you know you can talk to me. I mean you know that right."

I nodded and put on a great smile "I know." I told him closing my locker, now let's go and get to that emergency meeting."

The glee club was looking around looking extremely bored and extremely angered by the fact that we actually had a meeting before school , and I rolled my eyes at them walking into the room.

"Rachel!" Finn smiled happily jumping out of his seat and walking over to me , stretching out his arms for a hug "Baby, what happened?" He asked angrily ready to punch anyone who had laid there hands on me.

"What the fuck Rachel ?" Puck asked joining Finn in the anger.

I held up my hands and smiled to both of them "It's nothing. Last night I had my tae kwon doe class and I may have gotten kicked in the face." I didn't let Finn opn his mouth so I kept on rambling.  
"I assure you all that I am fine and that it did hurt, and still does but it will be gone in no time."

Finn just sighed and wrapped and arm around my shoulders leading me into a chair "I want to punch whoever did that to you Rachel, accident or no accident. People aren't allowed to lay there hands on you.

I smiled wondering how Finn could love someone like me. A waste of space...as my father would say. "I know you would baby, but this is what tae kwon doe is about. On another note where is he is usually very punctual."

"We don't know." Quinn replied looking up at me with...pity. Quinn and I had become, not friends over the summer but something close to it and she had even been nice on occasion.

"So Rach, do you want to go out Friday night?" Finn asked giving me his crooked smile that I loved so much.

I tried to think Friday night I would be with my Dad, and not my Daddy "I'd love to Finn." I smiled at him.

"Great Angel." He kissed my lips softly and I had to fight the urge not to cringe when he touched me. I hated this, and I hated my Daddy for making me feel that would never hurt me, would he be capable? Yes. He could squash me like a tiny little bug if he wanted to, but he was kind Rachel. He would never ever hurt you.

"Hello?" Santana asked waving her hand in front of my face as I came back to reality.

"What?" I asked coming out of my daze thoroughly disoriented.

"Rachel, you okay?" Finn asked as I noticed he was kneeling next to my chair holding one of my small hands in his giant ones.

"Yeah." I shook my head trying to remeber everything that I could, though I was having trouble.

"Rachel here look at me." Mike chang ordered softly stepping in front of me and bending down to look into my eyes.  
"Can you look to the right and left?" He asked moving his finger from side to side.

Mike whispered something to Finn and I let my eyes close slightly I felt like a black cloud was trying to cover me.

"Rachel come on we're going to take you to the nurse okay." Finn whispered softly into my ear.

"I'm tired Finn." I mumbled trying to push his hands away from me.

"I know you are sweetie okay, you just need to get to the nurse." Finn said with such urgency that I had to command. I had to do it for me.

Finn grabbed my elbow and helped me to my feet as I swayed dizzly my head in so much pain that I could barely move. I didn't even have to force myslef into taking a step before Finn swept me off my feet carrying me quickly to the nurse. I felt myself being laid down on the cot and finn stroke my hair gently.

"Honey, is there someone I can call to take you to the hospital."

"Call Dad, don't call Daddy." I begged her the pain bringing tears to my eyes "just please don't call my daddy."


	2. I know what it's like

"Rachel, just calm down." Finn ordered softly wiping the hair away from my face, trying to soothe me. "You are going to be okay."

I had to gain my composure, so again I had to put my great acting skills to use. "I'm sorry Finn, I am just so confused." I whined.

"I know sweetie." He said softly leaning down to press a kiss to my nose "Your Dad is on his way."

I nodded "Wait, why?" I asked frantically sitting up and feeling a wave of dizziness hit me.

Finn pushed me back down against the pillows "Rachel you have a concussion okay, just relax."

I nodded "I want my Dad Finn, I really want my dad."

"He's here baby girl." I looked up and so my father come in his navy blue scrubs.

"Dad!" I breathed out so excited that he was actually here.

My dad, the more sensitive surely of my fathers looked close to tears. "My little girl. I was so worried." He cried wrapping his arms tightly around me. I knew how much he loved me, and maybe I was selfish...or too demanding but I wanted both of my parents to actually love me. It hadn't always been this way, but things happen I had learned. People change, for the good and for the bad.

"Come on." My Dad picked me up off the cot and set me on my feet "Baby you okay?" He asked holding me steady.

"It just hurts Dad." I whined pitifully, but this was the only time any person would actually acknowledge my pain.

"Finn, I promise I'll have her call you later okay?" My Dad turned to the boy I had forgotten was even in the room.

"Yeah please have her call me."

"I will." Finn "I will."

Five hours later

"Dad why can't I go to school for a week?" I asked from my place on the sofa in my Dad's brand new living room.

"Sweetie, you have a concussion and we are not going to take any chances. I love you too much." He said softly walking over to the couch and kissing my forehead "You are my little cub."

"Dad I really want to live here with you...full time."

My Dad looked at me a tear streaming down his cheek "Rachel I hate it. I hate that you have to stay in that house with that man, and I hate all of the connections that he has." My father took a haky breath and placed a hand on my cheek "I promise you Rachel I will fight to the death for you, no one will ever take you away from me."

I hugged him tightly "Don't cry Dad. It will all work it out." I told him lying through my teeth. My daddy was a lawyer-a good one and his connections went far and wide.

"sweetie it will." He whispered rubbing the top of my head "Now sleep my little girl and don't yell at me when I wake you in two hours."

"I would never be angry with you dad." I mumbled before drifting off into a restless sleep.

Third person POV

The Mckinley high glee club consisted of some very interesting characters. There was Quinn Fabray the beautiful blonde head cheerleader-celibacy club president who had gotten pregnat at sixteen year old. There was Noah"Puck" Puckerman who was the self proclaimed badass with the Mohawk and the awe fuck it mantra. There were Santana Lopez and Brittany Pears , Brittany being the stereotypical dumb blonde and Santana being the HBIC. There was Artie Abrams or otherwise know as the kid in the wheelchair, the boy with big dreams, who would never be able to walk. There was Tina the goth girl, who was rather shy, but kind of awesome when people took the chance to get to know her. There was Mercedes Jones the Diva with the rocking voice and the soultry attitude. There were Mike Chang and Matt Rutherford the two dynamic best friends, who were quiet and sweet. Then there was Kurt Hummel, the boy who had to suffer through homosexuality seemingly alone as no one at Mckinley had admitted to being gay. Finally there was Finn , the giant with a heart of gold and even though he wasn't the sharpest boy, he was kind of the sweetest. And after all of them came Rachel the small girl who sang like she was 800feet tall and could move mountains, but who was afraid of everything...failure, acceptance, rejection,and most importantly her Daddy. This club was made of many different people, but despite those differences they had become a sort of disfunctional family and they cared about every member of said family.

"So she'll be home for a week?" Quinn asked wiping her long blonde hair back from her face, her green eyes shining brightly.

"Yeah," Finn nodded feeling worried about his girlfrined "her Dad is making her stay home to give the concussion a little time to heal."

"Am I the only one who thinks something is seriously fucked here?" Puck asked angrily not believing that no one could see what he could.

"No, we know something is up with the little Diva Puck. But what are we suppose to do?" Kurt asked brushing his hands against his designer sweater.

"She's so small." Brittany said looking down at the floor.

Santana nodded "She's right guys. She is a really small thing, maybe when that kid kicked her she flew back and hit her head." Santana was lying to herself because she knew what was going on with the little brunnette diva, but she needed to hear it from the small girl first.

"No, that didn't happen." Mike snapped "If she had then she wouldn't have been able to wake up in the morning. Her concussion happend this morning."

"She's you don't think she's dating someone abusive." Tina asked biting her lip, hating to think that the girl was being hit and thrown around.

"I don't think so seeing as she has a fucking boyfriend Tina!" Finn snapped at the asian girl.

"Sorry I didn't ...sorry." She muttered looking down at the floor, her shoes being her target.

"Okay, everyone just calm down!" Quinn yelled in her cheerio's voice "we'll just all need to investigate and find out what the hell is going on with our resident diva."

They all nodded each ready to delve into investigating their stars problems. They were a family after all and you always protect your own.

Rachel POV

I was sleeping, like I had been all week when my phone started ringing. "Hello?" I answered.

"Hey Rachel, we were wondering if you were feeling up to some visitors?" Santanna Lopez asked.

"Um sure, I mean I am kind of a mess though..."

"Don't worry, I think you're allowed to be in this particular circumstance."

"Thanks San, I'll see you in a little bit."

"Yeah about half an hour."

I hung up then and tried to make myself look at least a little bit presentable. I fluttered around starting to clean up the living room a little when I came across a picture, the last night we actually been a family. That night my father was having a celebration to celebrate his making partner at the law firm he worked out. They weren't really a family that night, but they had pretended to be one in public. That night however there was the biggest fight I had ever witnessed from my fathers.

_"What the Hell Hiram, you can't fucking be happy for me!" My daddy screamed at my father as soon as the front door had clicked._

_"Rachel, sweetie go upstairs." My Dad ordered softly. _

_I obliged being terrified at what was going to happen to my two fathers, maybe they would make up._

_"You are leaving me!" My daddy screamed and I heard something shatter._

_"Calm down Leroy! You love your little vicodin so much, then you keep taking it but me and MY daughter will not be around you."_

_"I don't have a fucking drug problem Hiram! You are the only one that thinks that. And as for YOUR daughter she's a little brat who wouldn't even know reality if it came up and bit her on her ass."_

_"Don't you dare talk about my daughter like that. She is a fifteen year old girl who loves you and that you would even say those things is beyond me."_

_"You know what Hiram I don't fucking know how you got me. Fucking pansy!" My Daddy had said in such a cold tone that I wanted to scream at him, tell him that he couldn't talk to my dad like that._

_"We're done. We're over draw up some divorce papers tomorrow and sign over custody to me." My Dad had ordered in a tone that was hurt and defeated, but also so strongg at the same time._

_There was a howl of laughter from my Daddy and then he practically growled "Oh we will be done, and you will get the little bitch. You'll get her when the divorce is almost over, because I want people to think I fought for her, and then that I gave my custody to you because I loved you so and knew how much our "little cub " meant to you._

_"Fine!" I heard my Dad scream at him. _

_I was terrified and collapsed onto my bed sobbing into my pillow. How could my father, my own father say such horrid things about me? I thought that he had loved me, and maybe at one point he had but it was clear that he didn't love me know. The worst part was that I still loved him. I wanted him to stop popping his vicodine and to hold me and cry over me; Whispering that he was sorry so so sorry that he ever let it get this bad. I wanted him to hold me so tight that it actually hurt and mostly I just wanted him to tell me that he loved me, and that he always had._

I threw the picture down on the table collapsing onto the bed and crying and shaking. Why doesn't he love me? Why did this have to happen to me? I heard the door bell ring and reluctantly went to answer it.

"Hey Rache!" Santana walked in smiling and giving me a hug.

"Hey San, where is everyone else?" I asked starting to worry that I was making things up and she actually had just said that she was coming.

"They'll be here in a bit. Why don't you have a seat." She told me pointing to the large black sectional sofa.

I sat down adnleaned back "How are you? How are the cheerios? How is glee." I asked popping out as many questions as I could so I wouldn't have to answer mine.

Santana sat next to me, her dark brown eyes showing great understandin "How long Rachel?"

I shook my head "How long what San?"

She sighed and reached out to put a comforting hand on my shoulder "How long has your father been hitting you?" Her voice was so soft, comforting that I couldn't belive that this was the same girl who was the HBIC at highschool.

I blanched "Wha- no he doesn't." I stuttered. The worst acting I had ever done in my entire life.

"Rachel, you don't have to lie to me. I know what it's like my Dad he used to hit us too."

I sighed my lip quivering "About a month now." I cried.

Santana wrapped her arms around me rocking slightly "It's okay Rachel. I know you're scared. I'll help you I promise.

Santana let me just sit there and cry my heart out. Not once yelling at me to move or to toughen up. "Thank you." I sniffed pulling away from her and looking at a spot on the wall rubbing my eyes.

"It's okay Rach, just promise me you'll tell someone."

I looked at her in shock "No San I cannot tell anyone or my Daddy won't give custody to my Dad."

She looked at me with understanding "Rachel he is hurting you so badly."

I shook my head "I can deal with it. Just please promise me you won't tell anyone."

Santana bit her lipm"Rachel he could kill you I mean you're so small and..."

I cut her off and gave her my best puppy dig eyes "San Please, I need my Dad to have custody please."

She frowned and let a tear leak from her dark eyes "Fine, I promise but if you wind up seriously hurt I will tell someone."

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. I can take care of myself." I lied again not believing it but hoping that maybe the latina would.

"


	3. The gangs all here

"Hey baby girl!" Finn smiled pulling me into his arms as the rest of the glee club arrived.

The club all started talking extremely loud in my ear. They were all asking me when I would be back, and if I was feeling okay.

"I'm fine you guys really." I told all of twelve of my friends. Please believe me I thought to myself please please please.

Finn pulled me on his lap as I cuddled into him like a kitten "Hmmm I've missed you." He murmured into my ear running his fingers through my hair softly.

Santana smiled at me giving me a nod of encouragement I suppose.

"So how is Glee going, is it okay have we found more members..." I had to ramble like Rachel Barbara Berry normally would, ugh I was so tired

"We have a found a new member," Kurt gushed "Sam evans."

Mercedes grinned and hit him "Kurt's in L-O-V-E with him."

I smiled for what seemed like the first time in ages. This was good. Laughing and joking around with friends was a good thing.

"Kurt!" I giggled cuddling into Finn even more than I already was.

He raised on of his perfectly arched eyebrows at me "He's straight Rachel, and in like with Quinn."

Quinn blushed a deep scarlet "He isn't." She mumbled scratching her kneckmawkwardly.

Puck just mumbled something about the kid having a big mouth, that could fit like four tennis balls in it.

Everyone looked at eachother and then at Puck quizzically before we all burst into laughter. Santana and Brittany were in tears shrieking with laughter and practically seizing. Tina was giggling softly at Artie who was also howling. Mike and Matt were pointing and Puck and chuckling loudly. Mercedes and Kurt were shaking with laughter and wiping there eyes on their leves as Finn and I were giggling softly.

"I hate youg guys." Puck managed between his own laughs shaking his head at himself. I knew that he still loved Quinn, even though she really did not want to be with him in that way anymore. I knew from experience with my father how much it hurt when you cared about someone so much and in return just wanted them to care for you. Even if that meant they only cared a fraction of what you did, because you need their approval and you want them to notice you and to say that they care whether your alive or dead. Pucks and my situations were completely different but I could sympathize with him.

Finn shook my shoulder breaking me out of my daze "Rach you okay?" he asked looking down at me and rubbing his big hand across my cheek. The whole club was staring at me worriedly.

"I am fine Finn. Sorry it's just sometimes I get kind of hazy and forget what I am thinking about.

"That doesn't sound to good." Tina sighed looking up at me with her darks eyes, lined in electric blue eyeliner.

"Yeah Rachel, I mean you will be back at school soon won't you." Mike asked in his normally soft tone.

I nodded putting back on my showface "Of course I will, next Thursday."

Finn frowned "That's a whole week without you baby." He almost whinned and I had to smile knowing that he really cared about me.

"You can visit everday." I whispered tangling our hands together so they looked like a serving of crab legs.

He grinned the half smile that made me feel like a pile of mush "I will." He kissed mt forehead softly.

"Awe!" The club cooed looking at us with googly eyes.

"Alright you guys we should go, our diva needs her sleep." Kurt sighed as he sat up from the sofa and the others followed suit.

"Bye!" They called on their way out, promising that they would be back the next day... Saturday for the entire day.

"Finn you don't have to stay." I mumbled feeling my eyes getting heavy.

He just kissed my forhead and laid me down and then slid in next to me "I love you Rachel, and you need me right know so I am not leaving you."

"I love you too!" I told him kissing his chin and snuggling into him hoping to get a little sleep for the first time in months.

"Dad!" I called into a black forest "Dad where are you?" I screamed running in circles trying to find my Dad knowing that something bad had happened to him.

My Daddy suddenly appeared his eyes red, in an evil way "He's gone Rachel. He left you."

I shook my head backing away from him "No he's not. he would never leave me."

My Daddy just smirked walking closer to me and bending slightly to get in my face "Why the hell wouldn't he leave you?"

I hugged my arms around my body tightly "He loves me!" I whispered.

The sharp laughter that came out of the man who had raised me mad me jump in fear "He doesn't love you Rachel. He never did and he never will."

"NO he does love me!" I screamed at him backing up until my back was against a tree.

Before I even had time to react my daddy was pulling me down to the floor kicking me and throwing punches muttering that I wasn't good enough and I never would be."

"Daddy! Please!" I screamed "It hurts let go of me PLEASE!"

I felt someone shake my shoulder and I shot up waking up to see Finn looking down at me a sickened expression on his face "Rachel?" He questioned so low I could barely hear it.


	4. you promised

"Rachel are you okay?" Finn asked pulling me onto his lap and rubbing circles into my back.

"I'll be fine." I told him looking into his deep eyes and setting my forehead atop of his breathing in and out.

The best part of being with Finn was that he could comfort without any words, he may not have been the smartest boy in the world, but he was great when you just needed someone to hold you and tell you you'd be okay.

"Finn?"

"Hmmm?"

I closed my eyes and let just one tear fall "When did it all get so complicated?" I looked up to see that Finn looked extremely saddened. His normally upbeat smile turned down into a terrific frown.

"Rachel talk to me." He demanded but mor than that he was pleading.

I shook my head and gave him a half smile "Nothing...nightmares and a healing concussion can make anyone a little..." I whirled my hand around showing him what I meant.

He nodded and kissed my forehead rubbing his nose against mine. "I love you."

I closed my eyes and blinked back the tears I knew would be forming there "I love you too Finn."

Finn leaned in to give me a kiss when my phone started ringing and rushed to answer , jumping off Finn's lap to grab my cell phone.

"Rachel!" My Daddy's voice growled through the phone.

"Oh hi Daddy!" I said as enthusiastically as posssible so that Finn would not suspect anything.

"Rachel tell your father that you will be staying with him until next Friday." He snapped sharply.

"Um sure."

"And you remember what I told you, you let our little secret slip and you'll wish you were dead."

I blinked furiously as to not let any tears fall and I had to breath in deeply from stopping my shaky hands. "I promise Daddy."

He didn't say a thing, and just hung up on me... great father.

"Rach?" Finn asked questioningly from the living room.

I didn't even respond, how could I? I ran instead up the stairs and straight to my bedroom throwing my self on the bed and pulled out the note book that I had.I continued, writing the story I had started if ever I wasn't around anymore, some would at least be able to know who I was.

_And the poor girl has never felt alone, even though she is far from actually being alone. She thinks that maybe this is worse; Feeling alone and being surrounded and cared about by some. She maybe be greedy, she has friends and a boyfriend, and a great father but she wants more. The girl wants both of her fathers to love her and to take her in their arms and tell her that she is the best thing that has ever happened to them. This will never happen and she knows this, because her Daddy cares so much about his drugs, that he would never go without them at free will. She promises herself that even if he does get clean and wants reconciliation that she will never give it to him, because how can she? He has made her feel useless and ugly, and defenseless. The words he says will never be enough even the most sincere apologetic words will get him nowhere because the only words she'll ever hear are _  
_"You'll wish you were dead."_

I sighed deeply and put down my pink fuzzy pen. For some reason writing makes me feel better; get everything off of my chest.

"Rach?" Finn knocks lightly on the door and pokes his head in "Can I come in?"

I jump up off of the bed and pretend to be busy at my closet "Sure."

He goes to sit on the edge of my bed and I can practically feel his eyes burning holes into the back of my head.

He just cares Rachel I whisper to myself, if only because he does.

"Rachel um what did your dad say to you on the phone?" He finally asks me.

I turn to face him and lean against my closet door crossing my arms pretending to feel uncomfortable "I just miss my Daddy." I whisper crossing my arms across my chest and pretending to be embarassed. In all honesty though I do miss my Daddy greatly, but this imposter...he terrifies me.

"Baby you don't have to feel embarassed about missing your Dad I know how much you love both of them."

I crawled up on to Finns lap for the umpteenth time "You're the best boyfriend ever."

He smiled proudly "That's only because I have the best girlfriend ever."

"Thanks Finn."

He held me for a few minutes before I heard him sigh deeply "As much as I would love to stay here with you, and I really would, my mom wants me home for dinner."

I kissed his nose and hopped off of his lap "Go ahead babe, my Dad will be home soon."

"Alright and trust me Rach, I will be back tomorrow."

I grinned at that small something to look forward to "I love you and I'll see you me later."

"I will darling.I will."

Finn was gone before I liked and I actually had to be alone for a little while. I decided to go up into my room and sort through some of my things, seeing what I would need to bring for the next time I stayed over. I looked in one of the boxes stacked on my desk and found a pink teddy bear with a heart in it's chest. My Daddy had given it to me when I was five years old and had went missing in the department.

_"Daddy!" I screamed running in circles "Daddy!". _

_I looked up and down, high and low and could not find my father anywhere._

_"Sweetie do you need help finding your father." A woman in a dark blue uniform asked me as I was making my way through the store._

_I shook my head "I'm not supposted to talk to strangers."_

_The woman laughed "That's very good, but I am a police officer and can help you find your Dad."_

_I looked at her strangely "How do you know where my Daddy is ?"_

_She giggled again "I don't, but I think we can both find him if we look really hard."_

_"Okay." I sniffled as she took my hand and started leading me to the front of the store._

_"What's wrong sweetie pie?"_

_I sobbed "What if I-I-I nev-ver find my my my Daddy will I have to stay here forever."_

_"No we'll find him don't worry." _

_After about a hundred years my Daddy already arrived frantic "Rachel!" He yelled holding his arms out for me._

_"Daddy Daddy!" I screamed as I hurled myself at him and he picked me up holding me tight against his chest._

_"It's okay sweetie Daddy is here it's okay." He said softly repeatedly kissing my forehead._

_"I'm scared Daddy, what if I never find you?" I aksed him wiping away my tears._

_As any father in the same situation he took me to the toy aisle. He found the bear right away and held it out to me. "Do you see this bear baby?" I aksed._

_"Yes Daddy." I smiled lightly._

_"This bear right here, berrignton will always help you to find me. But I promise you Rachel you'll never lose me" He told me softly._

_I carried that bear everywhere for an enitre year believing that if I had it my Daddy would magically appear.I loved that stupid bear, not because of the bear itself but because it was like a lifeline to my Daddy. It made me remeber his _ _promise that I would never lose me and I had._

I sighed deeply and pulled the bear to my chest sightly and cried into it. "You promised Daddy, you promised."


	5. It all started on a sunday

Thank you so much for the reviews I really appreciate them. I try to update as soon as I can, but I am a lifeguard and take three Ap classes and am still trying to decide between Central Michigan university, Roosevelt Universtiy, and Albion College...so you see I am under a lot of stress, but I will try to update three times a week.

"Rachel." I felt someone whisper softly into my ear, stroking my hair.

I opened my eyes and saw my Dad kneeling down near the bed "Hey Dad!"

"Hi baby girl, how are you feeling?" He asked running his hand throguh my hair again, knowing it always soothed me.

"Fine, the club came to visit and Finn."

He smiled brightly "Good baby. I am so glad you had a nice day with your friends.

I sit up and my Dad sit nexts to me wrapping one of his long arms across my shoulders kissing the top of my head.

"Dad um daddy called and said that he was busy and couldn't have me until next saturday."

I looked over at my father and saw the look on his face, one that made him look like he had been slapped in the face." Baby, I am so so so sorry that I gave you such a terrible father."

I snuggled in closer to my Dad " He wasn't alwasy so bad once my daddy loved me." I let a few tears slip. This lesson is one that I had learned on my own, never let yourself lose composure...let a few tears fall freely and then stop.

"Do you want to go and get something to eat?" My dad asked greatly trying to change the subject.

I nodded my weight had severly drooped seeing as how nervous I was at my Daddy's home.

My Dad kissed my cheek "Okay get ready and we'll head over to Breadstix, get some food."

I wait until my father is out of the room and then sigh pulling my exhausted body up to stand in the front of my full length mirror. I was still here, maybe just a more battered version of myself, but one thing was sure I'd never though that I'd look one of those of the kids from a broken home. I'd heard them about them when I was younger the children that got beat senseless by theire fathers. I knew that things like that happened, but I didn't know they could happen to people like me.

I quickly dressed in a pair of American eagle flare jeans and one of Finn's football sweaters. No more skirts for me when I was pushed down to the floor so often. I laughed at myself in the mirror, oh the irony of looking so normal while feeling completely unnormal. Even the socks I pulled on were normal as were the plain black converse.

"Are you ready my Angel?" My Dad asked smiling and leaning up against the staircase.

"I'm ready."

When we walked into the restaraunt none other than Noah and Elena Puckerman were there...waiting for us. I mock glared at my dad while he just shrugged and chuckled.

"Hey Rache." Noah said softly wrapping me into a gentle hug just like he had done earlier that day.

"Twice in one day Noah." I said shaking my head at his sheepish grin.

"Oh my darling, you know that karate is so just plain dangerous." elena Puckerman said frantically, wrapping me into he embrace.

I blanched and remembered that I had to put back on the fascade. "Oh yes Tae kwon doe can be quite a dangerous leisure activity. However I did know what I was getting myself into when I started the sport and therefore did know that a concussion could be an injury one could suffer from." I let out a breathe, seeing as I hadn't rambled on like that in quite some time.

"Come on Angel pie." My dad said taking my arm and leading me to follow the hostess and the Pucermans towards a booth in the back.

As we were sitting at the table my phone went off telling me that I had gotten a text message, I looked down at it and saw it was from Finn.

"I talked to San, we need to tlk ASAP!"

I started to panic, I felt a sheen of cold sweat make its way down my neck. I couldn't even breathe.

"Rache, you okay?" Noah asked worriedly.

I nodded "I need to use the rest room." I don't even know how it happened but somehow telling that I had to use the bathroom ended with me sitting on a bench in front of the restaraunt dialing Santana's number as fast as I could.

"Rachel is every-" Santana answered the phone alarmed.

I cut her off "How could you tell Finn? How could?" I asked her my voice rounding on octaves only a dog could hear.

"Rachel I did not say a thing about you dad," She paused for a brief moment "I swear. Finn asked me what was wrong with you and I told him I thought you were a little depressed."

I sighed pinching the bridge of my nose "I am really sorry San...it's just that-"

She cut me off "Don't apologize Rach, you don't deserve to be treated this way."

"Thanks Santana." I murmured softly into the phone so no one could hear me as they were walking in.

"You know what Berry me, Britt, and Quinn are coming over to your house tonight for a sleepover."

I grimaced but knew that there was no point arguing with her "Um I kinda already was going to ask Noah to spend the night. Why don't we invite the whole glee club...even Sam."

"Yeah, sure your house is big enough. We will all be over at nine." She hung up not even waiting for a response.

I trudged back into the restaruant and was met with a bowl of vegan spaghetti and three pairs of concerned eyes.

"Honey you okay? WHo was on the phone?" My dad asked looking at me with great concern.

"It was Santana Dad, she wanted to know if I would like to have the entire glee club over for a sleepover tonight."

My Dad smiled "I don't mind as long as there is no coed sleeping."

Elena laughed "I agree, but I trust you kids and that way I can have a night of peace."

Noah grabbed his heart "Thanks a lot mom." I giggled and grabbed Noah's hand squeezing it softly as he smiled.

My Dad turned to Elena "Elena, why don't we go and see a movie tonight."

"I'd love to Leroy absolutely." She smiled and turned to me and Noah "No foul behavior with Finn or Santana."

"Aye Aye captain." We answered at the same time breaking down into laughter.

Later glee sleepover

"Finn! Finn stop it !" I squealed as Finn tickled me. Somehow though my shirt had gotten pushed up.

"Rachel what the hell is that?" Finn asked hystertically trying to pull my shirt up higher as I tried to push him away. I notice the whole glee club looking at my abdomen in horror as Finn exposed the bruised and battered flesh.

I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath "It all started on a Sunday..."


	6. Where'd you go?

"It all started on a Sunday. You see Daddy had been on a business trip to Florida and had drove the whole way there, on the way back my Daddy was in a terrible car accident and broke his back. The pain was so intense, and unbearable that the doctors that they gave him Vicodin and morphine and my Daddy got addicted. " I paused and looked around at everyone's shocked expressions and Santana's all knowing one.

"Rachel, are you saying that your father he…" Kurt asked with a sick expression on his face.

"He hits me." I stated it so nonchalantly that it surprised even myself. I guess I had finally gotten used to it.

"Rachel sweetie." Kurt cried walking over and wrapping his arms around me as Finn and Puck did the same.

"Rach, you have to tell the police or your Dad." Mercedes said seriously as she too hugged me.

I shook my head "No one can find out, I mean it. My father has deep connections and will make it look as if my Dad is the abusive father and I can't have that I mean I literally have nowhere else to go."

"You can come stay with me." Brittany says sweetly smiling and tucking a long blonde strand of hair behind her ear.

"Or with me Rachel, you can't continue living like that." Tina says softly her dark eyes glistening with tears.

Finn didn't say a word but held me tight against him, so tight I could feel his heart beating against my back. Finn loved me, I know he did. He had said it but it was more, it was the way he looked at me when he didn't know I was looking. The way his hand always found mine our hands tangling together like they were made for each other . Finn was my protector, and the thought of anyone hurting me was too much for him.

"You have to tell someone Rach please!" puck pleaded kneeling down and grabbing my hand "Please, Please, and please." Noah's eyes looked like a little boy, a scared little boy who had found out Santa Claus wasn't real. Abuse wasn't supposed to happen like people to me. The little girls who grow up in the big house, who are spoiled rotten and are only children. My life wasn't supposed to be as sad as Noah's, I wasn't supposed to have a piece of shit father like he did.

"Noah, I promise I'll be okay. I'm tough. I can handle this all by myself." I said strongly raising my chin.

"You can't, you can't handle this all by yourself." Finn finally spoke up pushing me away from him to look me in the eyes "He could kill you."

I shook my head "It will be over soon enough."

"Rachel I can't lose you." Finn whimpered softly pulling me into his lap and kissing my head rocking slightly back and forth, soothing himself more than me.

"You all have to trust me and promise that you'll keep your big mouths shut."

They all promised extremely reluctant.

One Week later

"Daddy please!" I begged as my father pushed me down to the floor and quickly slapped my face and kicked me in the gut.

"You told your father, didn't you."

I coughed tasting the blood inside my mouth "Daddy please I-" I was cut off as an extremely hard blow was delivered to my stomach and I felt myself slipping off the edge I was holding to.

'Rachel, what are you doing here?" A familiar voice asked as I walked into a bright orange room with a laminating fire. I stepped in and saw my Daddy "Daddy?" I asked reaching a hand out.

"Rachie?" He asked quietly looking up and reaching his hand out to touch me.

It felt like how it used to warm and comforting instead of the cold feeling I was used to when he hit me over and over. This was my Daddy!

"Rachie, I am so so so sorry!" My Daddy cried reaching out to brush my cheek softly.

"Daddy where'd you go, I mean why did you…" I felt the tears come cascading down my face because I missed my Daddy.

"It was an accident…a mistake baby girl I love you so much."

I shook my head and sat down on the floor pulling my legs tightly to my chest "You don't love me Daddy. You hit me." I sounded much younger, but I felt like this whole experience had made me feel so much smaller.

"Baby, I love you always remember that okay please."

I suddenly felt really scared "will I ever see you again."

He smiled a sad half smile "Maybe someday you can visit me again okay."

"Daddy please don't hurt me anymore." I cried grabbing his pant leg.

He bent down and wrapped his arms around me kissing my forehead "It's not me Rachel, please just remember that…please." I watched as he walked away smiling at me before walking through a doorway.

"Daddy don't go!" I screamed.

I woke up feeling cold and alone and in so much pain. I tried sitting up and huffed accomplishing sitting up. I felt so confused "Daddy?" I asked trying to stand and get to the orange room "Daddy?"

I was answered by only the silence and felt that I needed to get a hot shower and get to bed, maybe being able to talk to my daddy again.

I stepped into my bedroom walking so slow that it nearly took me fifteen minutes to crawl the stairs alone. I felt that I had broken ribs and a very bruised abdomen along with another black eye and brusied cheekbone. I grabbed my fluffy pink robe and towel slowly shuffling into the bathroom and took a look in the mirror.

"Oh My God !" I whispered reaching out to touch the small, fragile and broken girl staring back at me. "No!" I whispered because this girl was not me, this girl was weak and small, but I was strong or at least I used to be.

Third person POV

"Has anyone heard from Rachel?" Finn asked the group of teenagers seated around his and Kurts bedroom. He had not heard anything from his girlfriend in nearly forty-eight hours and was beginning to worry.

"I haven't heard a word, but I think we should head over to her house. I have a bad feeling." Mercedes told the group sliding closer to Kurt.

"I agree Berry would never want any of us to worry." The latina girl spoke. She knew from personal experience that if you didn't contact friends, it usually meant you were in too much pain to move.

"Let's go!" Puck said jumping into his protective best friend. He cared about Rachel Berry, way more than she knew and way more than he admitted to himself.

"What if he's there?" Tina asked quietly , making the whole group stop dead in their tracks. They hadn't thought of that possibility. If that monster was there would he send them away, even open the door? Would the man hit Rachel harder for the twelve kids coming to his door?

Finn Hudson shook his head and continued up the stairs "She could be seriously hurt." He told them all softly as they nodded jumping into vehicles to make sure their little star was alright.


	7. never call me Rachie again

"Rachel, Rachel open the door!" Santana screamed banging on the Berry household. She along with the other glee members had been banging for the past fifteen minutes, and all of them knew the small girl was inside.

Rachel Berry couldn't open the front door just yet, no she had to make sure that her stage makeup was just right, because if they saw her now; the cops would be called. The stage makeup was nearly perfect covering every blossoming bruise and every red swollen welt and Rachel thought she kinda looked like Rachel Berry, the old girl she used to know. Sometimes she missed that girl, she was strong and insistent, persistent, and she was kinda beautiful. This Rachel however was like that puppy who has been kicked one too many times and finally just stops whimpering our begging for affection because there is no point. Rachel shook her head, clearing it from all of the thoughts threatening to explode and walked down the stairs and pulling open the heavy wooden front door.

"Oh hi you guys, sorry but I was indecent." She gave a sheepish grin and stepped aside to let in her friends and teammates.

Finn pushed everyone out of the way grabbing his girlfriend up in his arms and kissing the top of her head "Are you hurt anyone?" He asked checking over her for any sign of damage.

Rachel shook her head like the perfect little actress she was "I am fine, I didn't feel very well though. Just needed some rest, but do not worry you guys I will be fine."

" Rachel you sure?" Puck asked squinting at her knowing that something wasn't right.

She nodded again and curled into Finn "Finn don't you and Kurt have to have your dinner with Carole and Burt tonight?" She asked looking from Finn to Kurt with a motherly expression.

"Diva, we're more worried about you." Kurt told the small girl softly putting a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Go you two it means a lot to your father Kurt, and Mercedes I know you have your church service. Puck, Quinn you have your monthly visit with Beth and you need to be there." Rachel told them all letting her hands fall to her hips to glare at all of them, just like she used to.

"Alright Rachel, we will go but we are coming back tonight." Quinn told her pulling the brunette into her arms "We'll tell Shelby that you said hello."

"Thanks Quinn, Puck." Rachel told the couple giving Puck a hug as he kissed the top of her head.

She moved on Hugging Mercedes, Brittany and Kurt.

"Bye baby girl." Finn told his girlfriend kissing her passionately and hugging her small body as close to his larger one as he possibly could. "I love you and I will see you tonight."

"Bye Finn, I'll see you tonight." The only ones that were left after that were Mike, Tina, Santana, and Sam.

"Mike Tina, go home. Aren't you supposed to be having Dim song with Mrs. Chang."

Tina rolled her eyes and hugged her friend "I'm glad you're alright. If you need anything …"

Rachel smiled and pulled away from her friend "I'll call you. I promise."

"Glad you're okay Rach, get some rest you look really tired." The asian boy smiled as he hugged the diva and kissed her cheek.

Finally, she was almost alone. She honestly just wanted to go to bed and curl up under her comforter, and hug her old ragged teddy bear to her chest.

"Alright Rachel, show me what happened." Santana ordered fiercely.

Rachel gave her an innocent look and shrugged "What do you mean, nothing happened?"

"Rachel, I don't know you well." Sam spoke softly brushing his shaggy blonde hair from his eyes " My best friend back home was abused and I know you are wearing stage makeup."

The small brunette shook and sighed "He hit me…bad this time okay. I couldn't come to school because I could barely move. Please I just want to be alone. " The girl cried out backing herself to the staircase and sitting on the bottom step closing herself into a small ball. The sobs shaking her entire frame.

The latina and the blonde both looked at each other nodding before sitting on either side of the girl and rubbing her back soothingly.

"Rachel please call the police. He will kill you." Latina whispered softly in the girls ear continuing to rub the distressed girl s back.

The girl looked up her eyes showing so much hurt that Santana Lopez and Sam Evans wanted to burst into tears "I can't , don't you understand? He hurts me, he hits and kicks. He tells me that I am ugly and that I don't deserve anything that I have, but I love him. He's my Daddy and I don't want anything bad to happen to him. I don't want him in jail. I just want him to get the help he needs."

"Oh Rach, I am so so so sorry." Santana cried out holding the girl in his arms and rocking back and forth trying to soothe the girl because she understood. Her father had hit her and her mother, the only difference was that he ran one night and never came back.

"Rachel, you're going to be okay." Sam said it certainly looking at the girl in front of him and felt for once that his life wasn't nearly as bad as it could be.

Rachel stood up brushing over her jeans and wiping her eyes "Thank you both for everything, and I assure you that I am fine. You can go home now."

Sam stood wrapping an arm around the girls shoulders "We're friends Rachie, this is what friends do." He smiled his cute little smile and she in turn gave him a quarter grin.

"You can't get rid of this that quickly Berry. How about we go and get something to eat, you need it." Santana said also standing from her spot on the stairs.

"Yeah, how about it Rachie." Sam asked nudging her.

She gave a half smile "Under one condition. Never call me Rachie ever again."


	8. Mommy?

A/N: Thank you for the reviews. I hope you all like this chapter.

Quinn Fabray was a lot of things, beautifully, cruel, believing, and caring to those she really cared about it. She could count the people she loved on one hand: Puck, Beth, her mother, God and Rachel Berry…yes Rachel Berry. She had tortured the poor girl. Quinn gave her names like man hands and treasure trail and spread every kind of nasty rumor she could about her. Though Rachel forgave her, she acted like Quinn had never treated her like scum, that she had never made the poor girl cry. Quinn thought of the small young girl as a sister now, and as that sister Quinn would not stand around an d little the small teen get hit daily or weekly, no not at any point at all.

"Hello Shelby." Quinn smiled brightly as the adoptive mother of her daughter opened the door.

"Puck, Quinn Come in." The brunette told the two teen parents. "Beth is sleeping now, but she should be up soon." Shelby led the children to her living room and they all sat down. At first these meetings had been extremely awkward but now the older woman and two teens were like a family.

"Shelby we have to tell you something…about Rachel." Quinn said shakily.

Shelby Corcoran was a strong woman. She was not one to get scared easily or show emotion easily , but when she heard anything about her oldest daughter her heart strings tugged. That was her regret; Giving up her beautiful little girl without a trace, and signing that stupid contract.

"What's wrong? Is she hurt? Did she move? Is her voice?" Shelby blurted out very uncharacteristically.

Puck frowned "Rachel's Daddy hits her."

Shelby felt like she could curl up into a ball and scream. No not her baby girl, not that little brown haired brown eyed little girl. "Is she…where?"

"She's there with him." Quinn spoke softly wiping away a stray tear.

"I need to go see her. Please stay here with Beth." Shelby stood shakily from the sofa running to grab her keys before bolting out the door and rushing to get to her little girl.

"Do you think she'll hate me?" Quinn asked softly looking at the boy sitting next to her in the eye.

He tried to smile but it just came out pathetic "She won't hate you. She may not like you for a while, but one day she'll understand.'

Quinn let one perfect tear drop from her green eyes and then wiped it away standing up to go and see her beautiful little girl.

"Rach God!" Santana yelled out grabbing the small girl by the shoulders to see her bruised face more clearly.

"I could kill him." Sam snarled , fuming." How could anyone do that to her?"

"You wanted to see them and I let you." Rachel said exasperated.

Santana gave her a hug "I know Rach, but please let us call the police."

Rachel shook her head vehemently "It can't happen it's only a few more weeks. I can hand-" Rachel was cut off by the doorbell.

Sam answered "Who are you?"

Rachel felt extremely nervous, if her Daddy knew she was up and moving around with her bruises, she would get it.

"Rachel?" Shelby walked eyeing the small girl and blinking back the tears at the bruised and battered girl hiding behind the Latina cheerleader.

"Mom?" Rachel asked disbelievingly, she hadn't seen her mother in a long time.

"Oh sweetie!" Shelby cried pulling the girl into her arms careful to not hurt her. Rachel let out all of her pain then, finally truly breaking crying into her mothers chest and letting the woman comfort her.

"Baby… It will all be okay. " Shelby cooed in her ear over and over rocking slightly back and forth until the small girls leg started to give out and Shelby sank to the floor with her.

Sam and Santana excused themselves to Rachel's bedroom wanting to give the mother and daughter some time alone.

"Why are you here?" Rachel asked finally finished with her heart breaking sobs.

Shelby pulled the girl onto her lap and hugged her tightly "I love you so much. Rachel I am so sorry about the day I told you we couldn't have a relationship."

Rachel leant back against her mothers chest "He hit me mommy." She said in a small voice.

Shelby could no longer hold in her tears and let them fall onto her daughters head "We're going to call the police."

"We can't Mommy, they'll take me away from Dad and Daddy will get custody because no one will believe him."

"You can live with me Rachel, I swear to you I won't let you get hit again."

"Don't make promises you cannot keep." Rachel told her "I am so sick of lies " She tried to get out of her mother's grasp, but her mother just pulled her more tightly rocking her again.

"I love you Rachel. I promise to you that no one will lay a hand on you. You can come live with me and you can be happy and we can have that mother daughter relationship that we've both been dying for."

"That sounds too good to be true."Rachel murmured more to herself than to her mother.

"Rachel, you don't have to believe me right now, but I will show you the kind of mother I can be." Shelby smoothed down her daughters hair and gently kissed her cheek "I love you baby girl."

Rachel started sobbing uncontrollably and Shelby immediately tried to soothe her " What's wrong sweetie, what did I do wrong hmmm?"

Rachel turned in her mother's arms and smiled at her "I have waited my whole life to hear you say that."

Rachel stood up holding out her hand to her mother, who smiled and took it openly pulling her little girl to her again. "I've waited fifteen years to say that to you Rachel."

Rachel smiled in spite of herself her mother was here, her mother loved her. As a little girl Rachel Berry always felt that she was missing something. She loved her father's… a lot but she always wanted a mother to French braid her hair, to tell her about her first date and take her clothes shopping. She thought she would never find her mother. Jesse St. James helped her though, helped her to find the mother she had been longing for her entire childhood. Her mother didn't want her, but she did want her so badly that it physically pained the mother to turn down the young teen; It hurt Rachel so badly when Shelby told her they had to be grateful for on another from afar, the pain in her chest was so painful that she thought she would die. Rachel was scared, what if Shelby got tired of her, after all she had a new daughter.

"Sweetie what's wrong?" Shelby asked trying to break her daughter from her immense thoughts.

"Mom, promise you won't get sick of me, say goodbye again." Rachel begged her mother, looking up at the older woman with nervousness and fear etched in her eyes.

Shelby knelt down slight placing her hands on her daughter's slender shoulders "Rachel, I swear on everything I hold dearly that you will never get rid of me, not ever."

Rachel hugged her mother around the waist and sighed "Thank you."

"You don't have to say thank you baby, I'm your Mom."

"I love you."

"I love you too." Shelby whispered quickly pulling the small brunette towards the coat closet.

"Mommy, do I have to tell the police now."

"Yes angel you do, but I promise I'll be there the entire time; Holding your hand in mine." The mother and daughter walked out hand and hand, determined to put the small girls abuse to an end.


	9. It would stay with them forever

"Wait Rachel!" Santana and Sam screamed as Rachel walked out of the door with her mother.

The small girl stopped abruptly causing her mother to run into her. "Umph!" Rachel grunted waiting for the pain to come after her knees hit the pavement. Thankfully her mother had extremely fast reflexes and grabbed the girls waist before she could fall.

"Sorry," Sam mumbled walking over to the mother daughter duo quickly "didn't mean to frighten you."

Rachel shook her head getting her bearings "You're fine. Don't worry about I am just a little jumpy."

"Okay so Rach we know we urged you to call the police but what if…"

"What if what?" Shelby asked nervously her eyes darting between her daughters friends.

"What if they think that Shelby forced you to confess?" Santana blurted out as fast as she could.

Shelby sighed that was an extremely possible situation and didn't want to lose either Rachel's father, or herself to lose the chance of custody

"Mommy, maybe I should go down to the police station alone tomorrow." Rachel spoke calmly, though her fingers were digging into Shelby's forearm.

"No sweetie, if he comes home he'll hurt you…or kill you. No I cannot keep you here with that monster."

"We'll stay with here with her." Santana told the older looking brunette " Finn will stay too."

That seemed to make Shelby relax a little, knowing that her daughter wouldn't be alone. She didn't want to leave any children with a man that hit a poor defenseless little girl, his own daughter nonetheless.

"Mommy we'll be okay. I promise." Rachel told her mother, eyes swimming with tears.

"I love you, and I will call you okay every hour." Shelby hugged her daughter to her and kissed the top of her head.

"I love you too Mom." Rachel told her, holding on to her mother like she was more of lifesaver than her mother.

"Take care of her." Shelby said passing her daughter over to Santana Lopez and Sam Evans.

"Don't worry, she'll be safe." Sam told her putting his arm around the small girls shoulders.

"Goodbye babygirl." Shelby waved and got into her car fighting back a terrible feeling.

Rachel waved back silently letting the tears stream down her beautiful face as she watched her mother drive away.

"C'mon Rach, let's go call Finn." Santana whispered slightly pushing the girl towards the house.

Finn Hudson was stupid, some would say. Other people would say that he wasn't the brightest boy, but he was insightful and caring. One thing he knew for sure was that he cared for and loved Rachel Berry. She was gorgeous, sure of herself, was the poster child for most likely to succed, but one thing she also did was scare the hell out of Finn Hudson. He worried about his girlfriend a lot. Was she running too much? Did she eat enough? Was she getting enough rest? And that was all before her abuse had come to light. Now he was practically pacing up and down his basement bedroom worrying that Rachel's father would come home and cause his girl some type of physical pain. To Finn, that was inexcusable hitting a girl was wrong, but Rachel was so small, so fragile, and worst of all her abuser was her father, which was completely unjustifiable, no matter what the drugs or what the circumstances. Yes Finn Hudson knew one thing and that was that he would fight to the death for his girl, for his Rachel Berry.

"Finn would you please stop pacing I am already a nervous wreck." Kurt Hummel begged his "brother" from his place on his bed.

"Dude, I am just so worried about her you know? She's so small." Finn told the flamboyant boy quietly.

"I know she is, and I can't imagine anyone to do that to her but…" Kurt was cut off by the sound of Finn's phone ringing.

"Hello?" Finn asked questioningly not recognizing the number.

"Finn it's Santana, Rachel needs you…like now." She hung before Finn could even say a word, slipped on his sweatshirt walking towards the stairs wordlessly.

"Wait I am coming with you." Kurt told the boy running to catch up.

Finn didn't reply just ran up the stairs and into his car as Kurt hopped in the car also and they drove off.

"What are these kids doing here Rachel!" Rachels daddy screamed at her as he shut the door behind him.

"Daddy, there my good friends they just wanted to make sure I was feeling okay." The girl stuttered taking a step towards the other two "Run upstairs and call the police." She whispered into Santana's ear.

Santana nodded and slipped up the stairs unseen, pulling out her sidekick and dialing 911.

Rachel's Daddy was high and drunk Sam could tell, and clearly very irritable. He would try his best to protect the small brunette.

Rachel's Daddy grabbed his daughter by the arm, twisting until there was a significant pop and Rachel whimpered pathetically "Please!" She screamed.

"Leave her alone!" Sam shouted running forward and decking the older man across the jaw, causing said man to stumble backward.

Rachel's Daddy just ignored the boy and grabbed Rachel by the hair pulling her up and punching her in the right eye.

Sam again Punched the man and this time the man just wrapped his arms around Rachel's throat squeezing as she gasped and ripped at his arms trying to be let go, Sam trying to get the man off of her. She could feel herself losing consciousness, slowly choking.

Great, Rachel thought thinking that this was when she would surely die. She could kiss broad way goodbye and marrying Finn and…

"Rachel oh god are you okay?" A husky voice asked.

"Finn?"

"Yeah baby it's me." The voice answered sighing in relief and brushing her hair back.

She opened her eyes and looked up to see her father in handcuffs and Sam, Santana and Kurt talking to police officers.

"My arm's broken Finn." She whispered softly leaning into his gentle touch as he brushed the hair away from her face again.

"I know angel we are going to get you to the hospital." He told her picking up the weak girl and cradling her in his arms.

"Rachel, we're going to get you to the hospital right now okay?" A friendly looking blonde police officer told her.

"I want my mommy." She whimpered pathetically gripping Finn's shirt with her uninjured hand.

"I'll call her Diva." Kurt reassured her giving her a teary grin.

Shelby Corcoran ran through the hospital as fast as her long legs could take her. She ran until she reached the information desk panting for breath. " My d-daughter Rachel Berry w-w-as b-b-brought in…"

The woman at the desk smiled at her "She's been asking for you. She's in the ER cubicle one."

Shelby doesn't even say thank you, she just continues her run until she reaches her destination. What she sees, she never wants to see again. Her beautiful brown eyed little girl is sitting there looking broken. She has a black eye, possibly a broken nose, her arm is being wrapped in cotton, before the cast, and the most horrific is the hand marks around her neck. Shelby wants to get her hands around that bastards neck and choke him to death, until his eyes pop out and he begs for her to stop. That man broke her little girl.

"Mommy." Rachel says her voice hoarse and raw.

Shelby bends down and kisses her daughters forehead "Oh my poor baby." She coo's softly.

"Mommy," Rachel smiles, a half but genuine smile "I think I'm finally going to be okay."

Shelby lets relief flood through her and lets her tears fall onto her daughters head. It may take awhile, and Rachel may always have "Daddy" issues, but she'll be okay.

"Rachel!" Rachel's dad booms from the hallway rushing in and enveloping her in a hug.

"It's okay Daddy."

"Shhhh don't talk, your vocal chords are extremely bruised." At the look of peer panic on his daughters face he kisses her cheek "You didn't lose your talent baby, you'll be fine."

"Hiram," Shelby whispers "I think we need to talk."

The man nods wiping his tears "Yes, I believe we should." They both kiss their girl and have Finn and the other glee clubbers come in to speak with Rachel.

"Hey Rache." Finn smiles and slides onto the observation table wrapping a long arm around her shoulders.

"Rachel, I'm sorry I couldn't protect you." Sam cries his head dropping, and his bleach blonde hair falling over his blue eyes."

"Sam you did more than I could have. I would be dead if it wasn't for you, so thank you soo much."

Sam's a tough kid, but he can't help but let sobs wrack his entire body and he runs over to the tiny girl and wraps his arms around her convincing himself that she is okay. " I thought that he, I thought you were…"

She let sobs wrack her own frame and brushes Sam hair back "It's okay. You saved me, you did."

Finn subconsciously pulls Rachel closer and lets his tears fall, because the girl he loves could have died, been murdered.

At this point both Santana and Kurt are crying like babies , holding each other tightly.

"Please don't cry for me." Rachel tries to make her voice as strong as possible. "I owe you all everything, without you I would be dead."

"Rachel," Finn says iin astrangled tone as the other teenagers wipe their eyes furiously "Please, please don't talk about dying. I can't…" His words break off and he buries his head into Rachel's shoulder. He doesn't know if he will ever be able to shake the image of Rachel lying on the floor gasping for breath out of his head.

She kisses his lips gently and rest her small hands on his chest. "I'll never leave you…I promise."

"Rachel. I will never trust you with your own life again. I am going to be watching you like a hawk from now on." Kurt growls kissing her cheek and ruffling her hair gently.

"San?" Rachel asks worried that the Latina had been so silent and was now furiously hugging herself and letting the tears fall.

"Rach, I am so sorry. I should have just called the police no matter what you said." She whispered and shook her head.

"Santana," Rachel reached out her unharmed hand "You saved my life. You did nothing wrong, you did what I asked and that is all you did. That's what friend do for each other isn't it?"

Santana latched onto the small brunette hugging her lightly and whispering a "Were best friends Berry, get it right." I her ear.

The friends just sat there in comfortable silence, not needing to speak after the great ordeal they went through. This moment would stay with all of them for the rest of their lives, none of them would ever forget it.


	10. I love you more than anything

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews, I don't know how much longer this story will go…maybe forever.

Shelby wasn't good at keeping her anger and so she felt to express it to Rachel's Dad Hiram. "How could you not see the bruises, the hurt, the fear in her eyes? Are you truly that self indulged?" She huffed.

Hiram Berry felt terrible and he knew that he had been ignoring the signs, believed her lies about karate.  
"Shelby, you don't know how much I loathe myself right now. There is no word to describe how badly I want to kill my ex- husband."

Shelby watched the man cry and sighed "I want Rachel to come and live with me." At the look of pure panic on the man's face she quickly added "For a little while at least . She can visit you whenever she wants, or you want. I am not trying to keep her away from you, I just want to give her some time to heal and breathe; to feel safe."

The man put his face in his hands and sobbed quietly for a few minutes because he had failed the one thing in the world that he loved more than anything. The day that Rachel was born was truly the best day of his life holding the five pound bundle in his arms and rocking her back and forth. He loved his daughter no one could deny that, but he had made a grand mistake, and he would live with that mistake for the rest of his life. "Yes you're right Shelby I don't deserve her."

"Hiram you do, of course you do. That little girl loves you so much and she knows what a great father you have been. I think you just got so caught up in your own pain that you could not even see your little girls."

"I was in so much pain, twenty years together Shelby. I mean he was my first boyfriend, we met in high school when we were seventeen years old Shelby, we' ve been together since…"

She nodded and rubbed his back because she knew what it was like to someone more than anything and have the feeling be unreciprocated after so long a time. "He loved you Hiram, I mean I know he did."

He brushed away the tears from his eyes and sighed "He loved our little girl too Shelby ."

"I know he did, and I know a piece of him still does. I know how much he is going to hate himself when he's sober and sees what he has done to our girl."

Hiram composed himself running his hands over his face and through his hair "Let's go talk to her." He said handing a hand out to his daughters mother.

Rachel parents walked in to find Rachel quietly talking to her friends and Finn holding on tightly to their small battered daughter.

"Rachel we need to talk." Shelby spoke softly, smiling at the brunette.

"We'll go call everyone, get some food. Rachel do you want anything?" Kurt asked her politely.

"Can you get me some apple juice?" She asked her throat still raw."

"Of course we can do that princess." He smiled kissing her cheek and leaving the room with Santana and Sam, Finn refusing to leave.

" Sweetie pie," Hiram started "we think it's in your best interest to stay with Shelby for a few moments."

Rachel's eyes widened "But Dad I…"

"Sweetie I am still going to visit every single day if you want me too. "

Finn noticed his girlfriends distress and pulled her small body closer to his, running his hand through her hair.

"But I don't want you to be alone Dad." She cried painfully. Her voice hitched so high and so raspy that it could've made glass break.

"Angel, we think it would be good for you to get a break." Shelby told her calmly. Inside Shelby felt her heart breaking that her plan to solve everything was hurting her baby girl so painfully.

"I know mommy and I want to come," She turned to her father "I don't want my Dad to be alone."

"Honey," Her father sighed "I am a thirty seven year old man, I will be fine alone."

"Dad are you sure?" She asked her hand rubbing her temple subconsciously.

"Honey I promise, how about tonight we let Santana, Kurt, Sam and Finn spend the night and the rest of the club if you like, and you can stay with me for the rest of the week." Her Dad suggested.

She smiled brightly "I'd like that Dad."

"That sounds perfect Rachel." Shelby smiled ruffling the girls hair.

"You should go home and tell Puck and Quinn that I am perfectly fine." Rachel hugged her mother tightly and smiled up at her.

"I love you sweetie pie, get some rest and I'll call you tomorrow during my free period." Shelby told her daughter waving at her before walking through the door.

"Okay sweetie I'm going to go see when you get out of here." Hiram told his daughter fully aware that she wanted some time alone with her boyfriend.

"You're feeling okay?" Finn asked his big hands hovering, not sure what to do.

The small brunette smiled and took one of his large hands in both of her own "I am not okay, but I will be soon enough."

He smiled kissing the tip of her nose, forehead, both cheeks, and finally her lips "You will be. I will make sure of that Rach, because I love you more than anything."

"I love you too Finn." She murmured huddling into the giant teen's chest and kissing his nose "I love you so much."

Finn sighed feeling that even at this all time low, that he would be okay with Rachel by his side "Do you want us to spend the night baby."

Rachel shook her head "I think I just want to go straight to bed when I get home. My throat, my body they are so sore."

Finn rubbed his thumb over the bright pink cast on Rachel's small wrist "I know, I want you to sleep too

"Hey Finn?"

"Yeah Rach?"

She sighed biting her lip and feeling extremely nervous. She did not know how to say that she wanted the tall boy to be in her bed sleeping next to her, holding her as she dozed off. She loved Finn so much, so much more than she even realized before he rescued her; Held her while she cried. He made her feel safe, and as much as she confirmed that she was safe, she was still so terrified. "Will you stay with me tonight? I mean just hold me."

Finn looked at the small girl confused "Of course I will babe. Whatever you want, whatever you need I am here."

Rachel was sure of three things that night. That she had a great boyfriend who truly loved her and cared about her more than himself. That she had friends who loved her and would protect her to the death if circumstances ever came to that. Lastly Rachel knew that she was going to be alright, that it might take a few months or maybe even years but eventually she would be Rachel Berry again.


End file.
